I also started competing in ECTRA CTR events and found it to be a great introduction to the sport. Now although I try to pace at an optimum speed for the individual horse, I start new horses in limited distance because I have more penalty free time on the trail if my horse needs it (read: ride my own ride/pace without a points penalty - 6 hours compared to 4.5 hours). For me, however, one of the most important impressions made by CTR was the importance of conditioning and competing my horse to his fitness level and the ride conditions. When you have 10 minutes to reach a pulse of 44 (mid-ride check) to avoid point penalties, you learn to read your horse/conditions and act accordingly if you want to place well. Now, I'm not proposing changing endurance to CTR - just pointing out pacing in CTR is controlled by both the window and penalty points and just maybe there is something there that we can learn. If we are discouraging racing and promoting learning through early experience, perhaps we should look at pulse criteria and a novice division. Perhaps the rider could report for pulse at a set interval, say 10 minutes, if not at a pulse of X (lower than 60) then must present again in say 10 minutes, pulse criteria must be met before hold time begins. No issue of points - but using hold times/pulse rate to educate the novice in the importance of not pacing not racing. Pacing is a critical factor even when racing. The horse must come first, but whether CTR or Endurance including LD there is a competitive factor. To deny that is to bury our heads in the sand. Coupled with an educational ride briefing, I think this could make a difference.
With regard to educational articles for EN and the website, please don't stop with just the basic education talk. We need to summarize all the convention presentations for the membership who can't attend the convention. Hearing the presentation first hand and having an opportunity to interact with the presentor and others cannot be duplicated by a "write-up," but it's the next best thing. TrailBlazer and Equus have published some great material useful to both experienced and inexperienced riders (Kerry Ridgeway's conditioning series in Equus comes to mind). Could AERC pursue an agreement to have some these articles on the website, with appropriate credits of course.
My ideas probably require refinement, but the synergy of our group will find answers if we continue to contribute positive feedback. Education and controls within the competition will be more productive than penalties for those interested and willing to learn. Sadly, for some penalties/sanctions may be the only recourse.
Peggy
----- Original Message -----
From: Stagg Newman
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2003 9:28 PM
To: Susan Garlinghouse; AERCMembersForum@xxxxxxxxxxxx; ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [AERC-Members] basic education talk
Susan,
Great idea re getting the basic education talk written up. Will work with Genie to make sure this gets done.
Stagg
On Sun, 26 Oct 2003 19:27:32 -0700 "Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: >Ok, this by all means doesn't even start to solve the >issue of disseminating >more education to the newbies-and-not-newbies, but I >figure, start at home >and go from there. So here's my two-cents effort. > >I just got an okay from AERC and the convention committee >to add an extra >seminar at the Reno convention. I'm already scheduled to >do a talk on how >to address specific problems like tying up, thumps, etc. > But, it's occurred >to me more than once that we ALL can get so caught up in >the minutiae of >things (including my personal soapbox, nutrition), that >we forget the >basics. And if we already know the basics, well, review >never hurts. > >So, we don't know the scheduling yet, but I'm going to do >an additional >lecture this year aimed at the bare bones basic stuff. A >lot of very basic >nutrition, but I'm also going to thump on a few >physiology issues like what >every rider should understand about dehydration, tissue >recovery, some basic >energetics, heat dissipation issues, things like that. > Obviously, you won't >catch me talking about the things outside my ken, like >rider strategy or How >To Condition For Biltmore or whatever, but just the stuff >I'm pretty >comfortable with. > >I know not everyone is able to get to convention. What I >would like to ask >is whether there is someone that is planning to attend, >that has a strong >background in technical writing, that would volunteer to >write up a one page >summary of the information to put onto the AERC website, >EN, make available >to ride managers, hand out at clinics, or whatever. By >all means, whatever >I have to say is not the final word on anything, but it's >a lot better than >ZERO and it's at least a start. > >So, lemme know and maybe we can start a more formal >program of publishing >lecture notes for long-distance education purposes, eh? > >Susan Garlinghouse DVM > > > >-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- >=- >-= Discussion List Archives: >http://www.goldhill.com/members/index.html >=- >-= Subscribe/Unsubscribe: mailto: >AERCMembersForum-moderator@xxxxxxxxxxxx >=- >-= Rules of Usage: >http://www.goldhill.com/members/index.html >=- >-= Terms of Usage & Liability: >http://www.goldhill.com/members/liability.html >=- >-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > >
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